Biti refuses to go

HARARE - Tendai Biti and other rebels booted out of the MDC on Tuesday for attempting to stage a palace coup against MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai have refused to go, describing their expulsion as null and void.

Expelled deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, yesterday claimed his faction would drag Tsvangirai and other suspended party leaders to a tribunal where they would be charged.

“Whatever they have done is null and void,” Mangoma said. “We are going to effect the resolutions that were made by the proper national council at Mandel.”

The former Energy minister claimed Tsvangirai and his lieutenants had since been served with summons outlining various charges levelled against them.

Mangoma, who was flanked by his spokesperson Jacob Mafume and Last Maengahama, said his faction would not participate in the extraordinary congress scheduled for October, arguing Tsvangirai had no authority to call for such a meeting because he was suspended.

“As far as their congress is concerned, isn’t it strange that after making sure that he (Tsvangirai) has terrorised everyone who wanted to challenge him, he now says let us go to congress?

“Unfortunately, we will not go into any contestation whose outcome is predetermined,” he said.

Mangoma conceded that his faction had very few Members of Parliament (MPs) aligned to it, but claimed more would join them along the way.

Asked whether MPs did not believe that Biti, who has since written to Parliament to block their possible expulsion can save them, Mafume said “the attendance of MPs today (at Tsvangirai’s caucus) was a result of a margin of terror.”

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Institute has distanced itself from suggestions that they are part of donors funding the Biti rebels.

An official with the organisation, Isaac Maposa, yesterday said they never attended a meeting convened by the Biti group as was insinuated by the Tsvangirai-led MDC group.Biti refuses to go

Comments (55)

That's the way to do it, Biti. Stand your grounds as a matter of principle. You will win in the end and even those who are slow to understand your cause will be, July 2018, neatly behind you. Don't look back!

Chomu Mangwaja - 1 May 2014

biti murwere

lazie - 1 May 2014

I like that guy, Tendai Biti. He has the guts to carry out what he believes in. I remember the press conference that Biti announcing that Tsvangirai had won the elections and was now the new president of the country. Soon after that Tsvangirai cowardly ran away to Botswana leaving both his sympathisers and supporters confused. Biti was the only guy in the GNU who managed to confront Mugabe without any fear. He even had the spine to tell ZANU PF ministers during cabinet meetings to go and hang.

Sophia - 1 May 2014

Even Welshman Ncube was talking like you idiot Mangoma when he left the party now he is history and you have blindly done same mistake hence the big axe struck you badly bye bye next time you learn to think before you act . Who is going to vote for anywhere

Diibulaanyika - 1 May 2014

Correction: ...........the press conference that Biti held soon after the 2008 elections.......

Sophia - 1 May 2014

That's the way to go brother Tendai Biti. Please tell us where we can have membership cards and how we can mobilise the masses. We are hungry for real democracy and that will never come through corrupt and ineffective fellows like Tsvangirai, Chamisa and Mwozora. Such fellows just want to milk the democratic cow for their own selfish advantage. They do not think of the masses. Look now millions of party funds just vanished into thin air and some fellows now have mansions, farms and are sponsoring so many girlfriends. Such funds should have benefitted the families of our friends who died at the hands of the dictator.

Zangata - 1 May 2014

Hey, that Biti fellow has got guts. Such men are called amadhodha sibili. Having such courageous guys at the front will motivate the supporters. The grassroots will be energized and such momentum may assist in chasing the dictator away. Lead and we will follow Biti.

Denver - 1 May 2014

@Denver. You are right but you forgot to mention other amadhodha sibili like Elton Mangoma, Sam Sipepa Nkoma, Settlement Chikwinya and Jacob Mafume. We also have women of steel like Sekai Holland and Evelyn Masaita. They are heroes of our time who have managed to confront dictators and thieves wherever they happen to be!

Gigolo - 1 May 2014

Now that Biti you have been booted out with no support from anywhere only for a few cio who are trying to support you here you are likely to lose the deal to represent Gono in court bcoz what you tried to do has has exposed your stupidity eiiish it never pours but it rains for booted out Mbiti

Diibulaanyika - 1 May 2014

Surely what goes around comes around.This must another round of splits.Everyone who leaves this party has some sound argument.Check when Ncube etal left, they had their arguments (reasonable or not its relative). Learned as they are, i think they failed to read into the political space.Then came the prodigal son Sikhala. However, one thing common about these guys is that they didn't make it far and some are trying to pick themselves from the ashes.Now comes Biti etal.One thing that i think is that all these guys,including Tsvangison, are very selfish.They only mind about themselves.Anyway, it's anybody's right to come and go as they will but the bottomline is that it's the masses they are playing with.Let the circus continue and the masses are left nowhere.

Tahir Iqbal - 1 May 2014

This will go to court and will be parked there until after the next election. Remember Mutambara & Ncube leadership challenge?

Galore 123 - 1 May 2014

Dai MDC iri team yebhora dai iri Chelsea,striking similarities

kinos - 1 May 2014

@Tahir Iqbal Masses of this country have been made to suffer by none other than Mugabe this man has single handed brought our country to its knees right now every sane zimbabwean knows that mugabe has some something do with try to destroy the people 's party ,Remember during his independence speech he supported the rebels . He can pour millions of dollars as it will destroy his opponents it ok. He has been doing that for a long time including hiring some dubious foreign companies to rig elections on his behalf lucky enough we have Morgan who has refused to be a sellout .

Diibulaanyika - 1 May 2014

Thanks Biti at least this nonsense has happened way before 2018, come 2018 MDC-T will be united again, sellouts booted. Biti as brave as u are, u wont make it, u are gone, doomed politically. Start ur own party boy, be man enough.

J.K - 1 May 2014

The political climate in Zim says Mugabe or Tsvangirai, either u are Mugabe or Tsvangirai. So dont waste ur time putting up ur name on the table because the electorate do not and will not recognise u. If donors could vote yes Biti u were going to score, but not now boy, go back home, MDC-T accepts their prodigal sons.

J.K - 1 May 2014

biti is too full of himself i know of times he will be spsd to address provincial mtngs no one wud bother to attend biti has no people n in politics tis more about who follows u i remember an article about biti saying we dont care aBOUT ideology but putting food on the plate is what moves people most people rightly wrongly blv morgan has the capacity to put food in our stomachs jobs for our generation n hope for our children the way it has hpnd shows biti has some sinister motive jus remove that post of SG in mdc n all will be normal maybe mashakada will do well he is level headed

shk88 - 1 May 2014

I have a lot of respect for Biti and Mangoma, but this time sadly they have lost it. They are putting this Jacob Mufume character whom we have never heard much of before. Suddenly, he is on the offensive against Tsvangirai. And yet we never heard him challenge Mugabe before. In fact the intensity of the anti -Tsvangirai lobby lacks strategy and and is void of vision. It destroys both factions to the benefit of ZANU PF. They now don't need to do anything. It's there on the platter. Previously I thought Biti was very strategic and thus his dissociation from Welshman when he too failed to look beyond petty party differences to ensure eyes remained on the prize. Sadly, without Tsvangirai, who was already the first opposition leader to upset Mugabe at elections, the new faction has handsomely played into the hands and trap of ZANU PF, and set the clock if change many more years back. It's a sad day!

Dr Kuraivanavevhu - 1 May 2014

Biti is being urged on by ZPF supporters eager to c MDC split forever. He will be surprised in due course.

patso - 1 May 2014

The posting by Dr Kuraivanavevhu is very correct. Nobody had heard of Jacob Mafume before, now he is featured endlessly on ZBC! The people's project has been successfully infiltrated! We long new that ZANU PF never wanted to confront Tsvangirai at any free and fair elections. Wake up Biti. Mangoma we forgive him given how easily he gets excited. Remember how he rushed to accuse his own party, even if the violence was perpetrated by infiltrating CIO elements!

Prof Wedu - 1 May 2014

These are Zanu tactics and sadly Biti cant realise that. He will only realise that wen he has got a Zanu pf card and T shirt then he will wake up from his slumber

Nzou Ve Joni - 1 May 2014

It is natural that Biti can not just go like that he is going to resist the boot he will gradually go off the political landscape.But those who are pained much about Biti 's failed plan is zanu pf after spending millions for this project .Tswangirai tuulamuyanda kamboo mwalumi ntooboloo.

Mavuunakulya - 1 May 2014

If only these guys could have used as much energy and legal lingua, we would have won the last elections. See now the hate, energy, anger, destruction, acrimony being shown against each other! If they are true democrats, why did they fail to carry with them Tsvangirai? Biti would have been the next leader if Tsvangirai was among those campaigning for him, not the tactics he is using to fight Tsvangirai. The charges laid, like personal indiscretions, make a mockery of the faction's sense of judgement.

Siyayisooo - 1 May 2014

Why are they making the MDC a laughing stock? Welshmen was much better? Maybe because he was wise enough not to engage these Jacob Mufumes.

Neniwo - 1 May 2014

Biti and Mangoma, your fight is against Mugabe not Tsvangirai.

Shame - 1 May 2014

it is clear here that Tsvangirai is the main problem and its high time Zimbabweans start to see it. You cant deny that people like Welshman, Biti, Mangoma are highly reasoning academicals and they cant just dish Tsvangirai for no strong reason. Tsvangirai has dictatorial tendencies you people who support him want to ignore it. But let me tell u one thing that at the end of it all Tsvangirai will remain the only person being the face of our detractors. Pamberi mberi ne ZANU-PF the British and their Tsvangirai are doomed.

truezimbo - 2 May 2014

pamberi naTsvangorai, pasi naBiti

igwe - 2 May 2014

null and void- Tendai Biti null and void - Douglas Mwonzora This is now the catch phrase in MDC.

Maita Manyuka - 2 May 2014

Truezimbo, Zimbabweans' wish was to remove one Robert Gabriel Mugabe from power and install a new government with a new hope not to remove Tsvangirayi. Weslhman Ncube instead thought the first priority is to remove Tsvangirayi and you call that academical, Biti and everybody else in MDC's mission is to dislodge Mugabe but instead they have turned their guns on one Morgan Tsvangirayi, and you call it academical, if it is academical then we need something very practical, Biti cannot remove Tsvangirayi with a hired mob, sending his proteges to provoke so as to pain MT as violent. Imagine if you go into a zanupf crowd and shout Chinja, or into an MDC crowd and shout icho, or worse go to Vietnam stand and shout Bosso, or Soweto stand and shout Dembare, let us be honest what do you expect to get.

shame on them, the so called rebels thout they wanted out now they are refusing to go......they are a confused lot mmxxxxmmm

masuku1 - 2 May 2014

Zanu pf is so scared of Tsvangirai so they keeping their fingers crossed.Kana kufema havasi.Manje you are dreaming Tsvangirai aripo. He has seen worse.

Ziso - 2 May 2014

vote tsvangira Biti you were mis informed.

wezhira - 2 May 2014

i think the ever presence of the villanious tsvangirai in the political circles is slowing down the whole process that Biti has already set in motion. hon tsvangirai , step aside and let the bold take the bull by the horns

Biti should learn from history. Zimbabwe politics is about names not anything. Look at the likes of Welshman and others who thought they would break even Zim politics but hey they nose dived. Biti is not going anywhere apart from the getting zanu handouts. Sorry. Tendai is power hungry but is not going anywhere. Wasting his time and that of readers like me. Viva Tsvangirai.

mish dewa - 2 May 2014

A lot of people saying "Biti Why cant you form your own party" Bla bla. Anofoma maparty kangani Biti Wacho, He formed MDC in 1999, you want him to form yake iye aka forma kare sei. Who told u its only Tsvangirai who formed it, How much shares does he have mu MDC kusvika pakuiita yake ega. Biti and everyone else have the same rights as Chamatama to be in MDC, Icho Chematama ngachifome yacho.

chabvonga - 2 May 2014

Factionalism in MDC-T. Factionalism in Zanu pf. Is there hope for my grandmother in Nkayi? We leave everything to God. Politicians are a big disappointment in Zimbabwe

machakachaka - 2 May 2014

The whole nation has been distracted from issues that affect them.The salary gate and extreme corruption in the country is what should the media be full of.MDC-T internal business doesn't hurt the national economy.Wake up!

urbanus - 2 May 2014

You can write what you want,but that does not change that Tsvangirai has the support of the people, because he did nothing wrong for them, you can say hold on B, HIDE UNDER A TREE B, that does not change the fact that Tsvangirai belongs to the people and the people will continue to stand for him,he is liked by the poor, the powerless, the tormented ones, those who called uneducated by the so called educated,the unemployed, the employed but suppressed . I mean he stands for the people who are denied their rights to live descent life. Winning cases in court or parliament do not pool people to your side, because there are not derived from the court or parliament, So, whatever comes from Parliament ,it can only be a disappointment but do not change the love people have on TSVANGIRAI.

pagomo - 2 May 2014

I have never been an MDC simpathiser but my humble opinion is that MDC-T is wholly about Tsvangiayi that is why we also have an MDC-M/N. I therefore calmly suggest that our learned fellow forms his own third/fourth generation MDC-B tioneka kwaanosvika. If he is so sure he has the people more than Morgan I am so sure people will follow him as they did leaving the revollutionary party joining MDC-T.

Gabarinocheka - 2 May 2014

Biti did not refuse to go. It is Tsvangirai who is refusing to go after being suspended.

@Denver and other people who thinkbthinking destructive is heroism I fell sorry just because u r weak man does not mean Biting is the man .wake up what these guys are doing is feeding their families with money from zpf full stop it had nothing to for with being g a really man these guys are sellouts gull stop they are doing what they were paid to do .if there are man with ball why are they not forming their own party? Stop wasting our time Biti and Mangoes we will never vote for u nxaaaa

poporoza - 2 May 2014

Very funny Mangoma why are u afraid of congress is nth it what u want change can only be effected by congress.but know u won't be there 1 becoz u were expelled 2 because no one will vote for u 3becoz u know we love Tsvangirai not u so u r foolish to want to waste our time

poporoza - 2 May 2014

I think this is the best STRATEGY by MDC and ZANUPF BE CAREFUL. BITI etal are a proxy to get into ZANU PF till 2018 gathering infor about NIKUV then rejoin MDC and WIN

lee moyo - 2 May 2014

@mish dewa and those like minded. You say Biti is history, Ncube is history, what history? What do you mean? Ncube told you MDC-T was a violent organization, not different from Zanu PF. Mangoma and others have proved it, unfortunately, the harder way. Remember what happened to Trudy Stevenson in Mabvuku? Have you forgotten what happened to Tsvangirai investigation report about that incident? Ncube sees today what others will see in ten years to come. It has taken Mangoma et al almost ten years to see that Tsvangson was, and still is a dictator. Well done Biti. Join forces with other progressive MDC leadership and stir the nation to democracy and freedom.

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